Harry Potter: A Fresh Start To What Was Lost
by Senjecko
Summary: It was the end of his future, a fresh start in the past, and most importantly, a new and brighter future without darkness ruling over it. This is the story of Harry Potter's revival and his journey to save the world all over again. The only difference is that this time, there will be no mercy for those who wrong the innocent. AU, Minor canon usage, M for a reason. I do not own HP.
1. Prologue

It all began with a swish and a flick for me back in my first year. But that's not how my life would end. Or rather, how my future would end.

The Second War didn't end with a supposed evil curse by the Dark Lord Voldemort. No, it ended with a simple swish and flick. Voldemort had invaded Hogwarts as we all knew he would. It was only a matter of time anyway. Once we found out there was another Dark Lord in Albus Dumbledore, there were just too many enemies to fight. Many of them were unseen and just waiting for the right time to reveal themselves. So many lives were lost. All because of two different wars being fought by two different faces.

You see, Voldemort viewed himself as the ender of muggles. In many ways, he was the face of magic's prejudice. He wanted to remove the parasite known as Muggles from the world because in his mind, and in many minds, anyone without magic is below him. Anyone with "mudblood" or "half-blood" was seen as an invader to his way of life. He viewed them as a vile, disgusting, twisted creature that needed to be put down so the "purebloods" could live peacefully in their world, no matter how archaic or barbaric it seemed.

Sure, he was intelligent and cunning, but he always felt that power was his greatest gift. In fact, one of his favorite lines is that "There is no good or evil, there is only power." He fully believed that, with his huge raw amount of magic and the many purebloods who don't want their society to change so as to favor the mudbloods and half-bloods, he had all the power he would ever need. Dumbledore shared this view but there was a difference in how he sought his power.

On one hand, while Voldemort could be seen as sometimes upfront, he was almost always aggressive. Dumbledore, on the other hand, was something more. Dumbledore was conservative, passive, and the face of extreme cunning. He was originally a Gryffindor, but over time, he evolved into the master Slytherin. If the history books were right, he would have made Salazar proud in how he manipulated the public over so many years as the Headmaster of Britain's best school for witches and wizards: Hogwarts.

Becoming Headmaster of Hogwarts wasn't the only form of power he controlled. Once he defeated Grindelwald, he became the so-called Leader of the Light. Oh how wrong that would be proven. Dumbledore became akin to a god of the light, a savior of the world. Naturally, his word, views, and actions were seen as if they were from the magical form of the Christian holy bible. So, over time, he gained more power when he became the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and the Ministry of Magic's representative in the International Confederation of Wizards. With all of these forms of power, no one would dare question the supreme magical ruler of the Britain. With that power, he didn't even need to become the Minister. Especially since no matter who has the title of the Minister of Magic, he would only be an unaware puppet in Albus Dumbledore's ultimate chess game.

So the raw power wielded by Voldemort paled in comparison to what Dumbledore held over magical Britain. Dumbledore controlled or was the face of: the education system, the court system, the representation of magical Britain to the ICW, and the general sheep otherwise known as the public. Voldemort could have been the most powerful wizard of all time and be the face of the majority of the evil purebloods, but he could never amass that much power with how he conducted his business. Voldemort didn't need Dumbledore's power to kill the so-called Leader of the Light, however.

Voldemort used his own intelligence and cunning to try and outsmart Dumbledore if for only one time. In his old age, Dumbledore oddly enough never expected one of his own students to be a part of a trap to kill him. Dumbledore always felt that he could bring others to see his "light" and "save" them. So imagine his surprise when he learned that Voldemort planned to use Draco Malfoy, a son of one of the most prejudiced pureblooded families around and a son of Voldemort's most trusted inner circle members, to kill him.

Unfortunately for Voldemort, Dumbledore had long figured a way to make this little wrinkle in his plan an even bigger part of his plan. Dumbledore would be shown forever in the history books as the martyr for the Light who saved Harry Potter from certain death and had a part in making the world a better place. The public would practically worship and thank him instead of Merlin for saving their precious young savior in Harry Potter. He would very likely get his own Order of Dumbledore distinction. Regardless of that, he just wanted everyone to look up to and remember the name Albus Dumbledore forever. That was his legacy. All the while he was setting me up to die alongside of Voldemort as an unknowing martyr to his own greater good.

So enter Severus Snape, the ever faithful servant of Dumbledore. His true allegiance was originally to Voldemort, but when the love of his life Lily Potter nee Evans died by Voldemort's hand after begging him to spare her, he switched sides to play a double spy role for Dumbledore and watch over Lily's son. Even though he would always see his hated rival James Potter on the outside of Harry, he also would always see Lily's eyes coming from the inside of Harry. So to protect Lily's son for as long as possible, he had to kill Dumbledore.

Dumbledore discovered that Voldemort, in his quest for power and immortality, had made a Horcrux. And not just one, but 7 horcruxes were made. Voldemort never knew of the 7th horcrux that was unintentionally made inside of my scar on the night that he killed my parents. His initial suspicions began when Voldemort had possessed Professor Quirrel before my first year of Hogwarts. He didn't receive proof of those suspicions until the end of my second year when I showed him the diary pierced by the Basilisk fang down in the Chamber of Secrets.

I started to suspect something was up when Dumbledore suffered an injury to his hand before my sixth year. I later found out that his hand was cursed when he found another horcrux on a ring in the Gaunt house. It was around that same time when he wanted me to find a way to retrieve Professor Slughorn's memories of Tom Riddle, Voldemort's real name, from when he was a student at Hogwarts. When I finally did get Slughorn's memories, it proved that Riddle really did make a horcrux and that he may have made more than one. How many, we didn't know at the time.

Dumbledore found another Horcrux location shortly afterwards. We went to the location and retrieved the locket that was supposed to be a horcrux, but only with great difficulty. Upon our return, we noticed that Hogwarts was under attack from Death Eaters. We rushed to the Astronomy Tower where the Dark Mark was located only to realize that it was a trap. It was time for Dumbledore to put his plan into action.

Snape revealed to me later on through his own memories that Dumbledore didn't have longer than a year to live because of the curse. He could only contain it to his arm. So, with the knowledge that Voldemort was trying to kill him through Draco Malfoy, he used that as the base of his plan to achieve his greater good. Instead of having Draco kill him, he would have Snape use the Killing Curse to spare him the pain and humiliation. That and to try to "save" Draco from the dark so as to not corrupt his soul.

So as we got there, Dumbledore hit me with the body-binding curse and placed me under the invisibility cloak to once again protect me. Draco shows up and disarms Dumbledore in his moment of weakness, but then doesn't have the guts to kill Dumbledore by himself. This is proved even more when he hesitates as his Death Eater buddies arrive to cheer him on. Snape also arrives and after Dumbledore pleads with him, he proceeds to kill Dumbledore with the Killing Curse. His plan now almost complete, it ensures that I would have the resolve to continue the search and destruction of the horcruxes in honor of him.

Finding the horcruxes and destroying them over the course of the next year was damn near impossible. Doing so tested the limits and resolve of my best friends Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley. Despite the issues, we were able to destroy the locket, the Hufflepuff's cup, Ravenclaw's diadem, and eventually Riddle's snake. The others, the diary from second year, and the Gaunt ring which turned out to be the Resurrection Stone of the Deathly Hallows, were already destroyed previously by Dumbledore or myself. But I didn't know of the one inside my scar until I saw Snape's memories after he died at the Battle of Hogwarts. Once I knew of that, I had to die to get rid of it so that Riddle would become mortal again so anyone could kill him. Once again, Dumbledore's greater good led me to surrender to Riddle to "save" the students and everyone else from any more deaths. I go to the Forbidden Forest, with encouragement from my parents and Sirius and Remus, willing myself to face Voldemort.

Voldemort "kills" me and I go to the afterlife thinking that at least it's over. But here is Dumbledore again telling me about the greater good of his and his sob story about how he tried to keep my childhood intact and whatnot. Then, he tells me that I'm not dead, just in between. I could go on to the afterlife and be at peace, or I could go back, kill Riddle, and save everyone. Of course I chose to go back and save everyone. Riddle gets Malfoy's mother to check and see if I'm dead or not as I'm coming to. She notices that I'm alive, that I've survived another Killing Curse. Betraying Voldemort, she asks if her son is alive; I nod silently. After all, I saved him from Fiendfyre when we destroyed the diadem. Knowing that her son isn't dead, she announces that I am dead. With this news, Voldemort decides that he has to gloat and show his prized trophy off to everyone including his enemies. How wrong he was to do that.

After having Hagrid carry my body back to the school from the Forbidden Forest, he again gloats to and taunts the survivors of the earlier battle. Neville Longbottom, however, stands up to him, kills Nagini, the final horcrux thus making Riddle mortal again. With the distraction of battle resumed, I used the invisibility cloak to find Voldemort in the confusion. After seeing quite a few battles and helping silently along the way, I find Voldemort in battle. Taking the element of surprise, I reveal myself to him and after a war of words, we do battle. The fight was grueling, tiring, and fierce. It all seemed to be coming to a close when it led to the Astronomy Tower where the journey all began last year. I didn't realize that it would be the site of more than Voldemort and Dumbledore's death.

In my quest to end Riddle, I didn't notice my closest friends fighting nearby. Voldemort did, however, and in his desperation, he Accio'd Hermione to him. The sudden Accio caused her to lose hold of her wand. Defenseless, she screams as Voldemort levitates her in front of me and the others as a hostage. But Voldemort wasn't taking hostages. No, this was to be the final battle. He mocks me for a moment. I and the others drop my wand and surrender again to him. The battle stops all around us as everyone watches our exchange. Then, he does the unthinkable. He levitates her over the side of the railing. A shuffling occurs around me but I only have eyes for Hermione and Voldemort. I lock eyes with Hermione and she gives me a silent nod. Tears roll down my face as I realize that she is accepting her fate. Mocking me one last time with a sadistic smile, Voldemort cancels the spell and I watch in horror as she falls screaming to her death. No one would be able to save her. Everyone is stunned.

Voldemort laughs maniacally at our pain so in my anger, I pick up my wand. With righteous fury coursing through my body, I scream out the Killing Curse at the same time that Voldemort does. Our curses bypass each other as everything moves in slow motion. My curse hits Voldemort and I see him fall just before his reaches me. Knowing that I killed him, I close my eyes to accept peace one last time. At least I'll be with Hermione again. My life starts to flash inside my head but all I can see is Hermione in them. I hear a faint voice saying something but I can't discern what its saying. It matters not as everything goes black as the Killing Curse hits me. Just as Hermione was killed by a simple swish and flick, everything goes black and Harry Potter, as the world knows him, is no more.

**Author's note:**

Hello again everyone! I have returned with a different Harry Potter fanfiction story. I have an update posted on my profile for it and my recovery which caused its removal. I apologize if there are any errors or so for this story. I am not getting this beta'd but I do accept any constructive criticism that will help make it better. If you leave a review that is nothing but unnecessary hate, I will not accept that as constructive and will remove it from the reviews if and when able.

I can't promise that I will upload chapters frequently nor give you a timetable, so I request patience for this story as I build the story and learn lessons for and about it along the way. If you have any suggestions towards the story, they are welcome and I may even use them.

This chapter is being told from Harry's perspective in a sort of narrative form. While most of the story will be told from his view, there will be other's views as well.

This story does follow canon on some points but it will mostly be AU. It's going to be rated M for the language and violent themes anticipate. There will, however, be no lemons or things of that nature. I just can't see myself writing them for it here or elsewhere. There will be character death planned for way later on but who is still a mystery to me. My minimum goal for any story is 20 chapters but the amount can be infinite. Who am I to say it should end if everyone is enjoying it?

Anyway, feel free to leave a message or a review and I will get back to each and every single one of you as I can. I want this story to be good and enjoyable for everyone involved. I want to make this story worthy of the time spent by you the reader and I the author. Together, we can achieve this goal as this story will not succeed without the readers. Hopefully, this fanfic and any others that I do will bring you the same joy, happiness, and maybe even help for whatever is going on in your life that this site has given me.

With that being said, I thank you all for your time in viewing this and wish everyone a good day.


	2. Patience is a Virtue

Darkness everywhere around me is what I came to. Total darkness that I never experienced before; not even when I was at the Dursleys locked away in the cupboard was it ever this dark. But then, a light pierced that darkness just barely in the distance. It is as if someone opened a door to a pitch black room with only me in it. I recall someone once telling me that when you die, go towards the light away from the darkness. To take that advice carefully, I check to make sure there are no other light sources in the rest of the darkness around me. Sure enough, there is none. So, with this light being the only way to go, I start walking towards it.

I walk for what feels like forever towards the light and yet, I make no progress. Then, as if the afterlife senses my distress, it gets closer and closer. I just start running and soon enough, I'm almost at the light when I notice there are voices up ahead. Quiet, peaceful voices, maybe that's heaven! I break into a run and the voices get a little louder but nothing bigger than the chatter before a class starts.

I can finally make out what appears to be a door. I was right from the beginning! Someone really did open up a door. Before I can progress any further, I hear a whistling sound that I have yet to hear. Kind of like a strong gust of wind coming through. Sure enough, the gust gets louder and out of the corner of my eyes, I see movement.

The darkness was moving towards the light!

Then, the darkness gains what appears to be a slight hue around it but it's not just the only one. There must be hundreds, if not thousands of almost orbs of light appearing out of nowhere!

I'm stunned to say the least.

'Do I look like that? Am I just an orb of light heading towards a peaceful afterlife? But if that were the case, why does it feel like I'm walking, running, and standing around?'

While contemplating this development, all of these orbs suddenly move extremely fast towards the light coming from the doorway. 'How do they move so fast?' I wonder.

I start to run towards the light in the door again and it almost rushes to meet me. I'm about to reach for the handle when all of the orbs around me stop flowing through. All of a sudden, it's quiet. An eerie, something's not right, kind of quiet.

Grabbing the handle of the door, I gently open it and immediately I'm assaulted by this rush of sound. It's almost deafening with how loud it is! I close my eyes as well as the amount of light is blinding it seems. 'Focus, I've got to focus. Adjust Potter!' I think to myself.

As I'm getting adjusted to the sounds, I begin to make out familiar ones. A phone is ringing. There's loud chattering from people nearby. I begin to focus a bit more and make out a child speaking to what seems is her father.

"Daddy, when are we going to be seen? I wanna see Mommy!" she cries.

"I don't know yet dear. We've got to check in first, and then I'll ask if she's here with us. I want to see your mother too. Maybe she's already been seen and is just waiting for us to get there." he replies with a reassuring tone.

"Okay Daddy." she says as if it made her happier.

Now that I'm more adjusted to the sounds, I feel comfortable enough to try to open my eyes a little. I keep my head down and barely open my eyes only for it to still be very bright. 'Focus more, Potter! Imagine your pupils re-adjusting to the light after all of that darkness!' I think again to myself.

Slowly, as if meeting my thought process, the light gets less and less blinding. Like a camera beginning to focus on the picture that it's trying to capture, I start to make out images.

The floor tiling, the door that I just opened, my own feet, and my own legs are what I see first.

'So I do have a body!' I exclaim inside. 'If all of that's there, then I wonder what I'll see as I lift my head?'

With my confidence growing and feeling more comfortable, I open my eyes wider as I raise my head. I can make out my arms, my torso, a couple of people in front of me, and-

"Merlin's hairy beard!" I yell.

I'm still in the doorway all the while just in shock by the view. If I thought that the amount of orbs around me in the previous darkness was staggering, this sheer amount of people in front and all around me is utterly ridiculous. What were maybe thousands of orbs in that darkness turned into an endless amount of people in this room alone! "There must be hundreds of thousands of people everywhere I look, if even that! It's as if I walked into a lobby of sorts thousands of times larger than the great hall with a thousand times more people than the busiest time of the year at King's Cross!

"Are you new to this place young man?" I hear from the side of me.

I look in the direction of the voice and see an elderly man sitting down next to the door.

"Yeah, I just got here. At least I think so. I don't even know how long I've been here to tell you the truth." I reply.

"Ah, yes it's quite disorienting at first but once you get used to it, it's kind of funny." he finishes with a chuckle.

"Yes, it was a bit hard to concentrate at first with all of the sounds and light in here. But why is it funny?" I ask.

"It's funny to me because we're dead. I mean, I figured that since I died all alone, I would be alone when I arrived in the afterlife. And yet, here I am, talking to a young man and feeling better every second thanks to you!"

"Well, you're welcome, I suppose. I'm sorry that you died alone. Maybe we can keep each other company until we figure out where we are going." I say smiling.

"Thank you, young man! You don't know how much that warms my old soul to experience such kindness. What's your name? Mine is George David Williams III."

"My name is Harry James Potter, sir. It's nice to meet you." I outstretch my hand. We shake hands and it makes me glad that I've found an acquaintance or rather a friend to speak to.

"Excuse me sir, but what exactly is this place, if you know?" I ask curiously.

"Call me George, Harry! None of that sir business is necessary. I appreciate the respect though. Whoever raised you should be proud." He boasts happily.

"It's no problem sir, I mean George. Sorry. I never really was raised; I sort of just learned to be more respectful of life around me."

"Well, didn't you have parents or a family even? I can't imagine you becoming what looks to be a nice, young man by yourself."

"I did have a family and parents, at least I did once. My parents were killed when I was a baby and the family that was supposed to raise and take care of me, they only just despised me. I never really felt that I had a home growing up." I softly reply.

"Oh, I'm so sorry for you. That must have been terrible! Well, you're here now. There's no need to worry about any of that. There's only peace and happiness ahead for us. Maybe even a younger me once I reach heaven." he finishes in thought.

"Wait, you mean that this isn't heaven? Where are we then?"

"Forgive me young man; I forgot to answer your question. We are in the afterlife, yes, but do you see that line? That is the line to be judged by the fates. The fates determine whether we go to heaven or hell. I'm just not sure exactly how it is that we're judged or even by whom."

I follow where he's pointing and see a line just off to the side. People are just waiting around either by themselves or chatting with someone near them as I am doing with George.

"Wow, I wonder how long a wait that will be?" I wonder out loud.

"Well, I figure that since we both won't be alone in that sense, we should get in line and get it over with, eh Harry?" he says with a smile.

Returning the smile, I insist on him going in front of me since he's been here longer than I have. 'At least it won't be too boring now that I have George. I just wonder where Hermione is. We can't be too far away from each other as we died shortly apart.' We reach the line and I decide to ask George about this.

"Say George, if someone died right before me, how far away would they be?"

"Were you expecting someone else to be here with you then, Harry?"

"Yes, my best friend Hermione died a minute before me and I don't even see her."

"Ah, I can tell that you're worried, but I don't feel you should though. Your love is probably further ahead as a minute on Earth is like almost days here. She may have already been seen and sent to the afterlife."

"Hold on, why did you say that Hermione is my love? We were only best friends." I say not even noticing a blush forming on my face.

"Well Harry, if your worry wasn't enough, then you blushing is a dead giveaway. No pun intended." he chuckles with a knowing grin.

"But I….I never….what? I'm so confused George."

"Ha-ha! You really didn't know? Ah, this is rich! I remember being that age and that clueless of love. Everyone else around you could see it but you are almost always blind to it. That is until you or someone else points it out to you and realizes what those feelings are inside. I remember fondly the time my best friend Paul telling me how gone in love I was with my wife Jenny. I was just a tad older than you are now, in fact." he says with a deep smile as if he is re-living those happy times.

'Do I really love Hermione? Well, yes, as a friend I suppose. She has always been there for me since back in first year after Ron and I saved her from that troll on Halloween. I guess that I've always felt safe and happy with her more than I did with Ron. I wouldn't have to try hard to hear her voice, see her smiling face, or be reminded by how great a person she is.'

'Wait….Have I been in denial all this time and just didn't see it?'

As I'm discovering my love for Hermione and questioning myself, George is starting to smile even more. He even looks to his watch and begins a countdown "3…2…1…"

"Holy Merlin, I'm in love with Hermione!" I realize with a great finality. I'm startled when George starts to clap happily.

"Great job Harry, you've figured out the greatest gift in life: love."

"I-I didn't know. Or rather, I was too dense to see it for myself. I always thought I loved my best friend's sister, but maybe that was just a crush…" I trail off in thought. 'Was Ginny just a crush like Cho? I don't know, something doesn't feel right about this. Regardless, I shouldn't bother about it too much now. After all, once I find Hermione here in the afterlife, I'll have the rest of eternity to be happy with Hermione. I love Hermione!' I think to myself as a sheepish grin grows more onto my face.

"Ah, there's that look I was waiting to see! That's the smile of someone who could care less about the world. Just so long as they have the love of their life with them. I'm so glad that I got to see another person find their true happiness. I myself can't wait to reunite with my Jenny."

"If you don't mind me asking, how far apart are you two in here?"

"Oh she died about 10 years before I did. For a while, I was sad, depressed, and lonely because my best friend had gone on without me. But after some time passed and my grief waned, I realized that we would meet again soon enough in heaven. Once that became evident in my mind, I just pictured it as if she went on a vacation with the rest of our family and friends while I'm working for us. Living that short period of time between seeing her would be like having a job again. I relaxed at home and enjoyed my time so I could be happy when I rejoin her. When I mentioned earlier that I died alone, I didn't mean it in a sad way, but rather a patiently waiting way, if you follow me." I nod as he enlightens me with his wisdom.

"You see Harry, life is like this line we're in, for instance. We wait and wait for it to hurry up, but don't realize until it's too late that the wait is better than we make it out to be. We go through life just to get somewhere or to get something, but did we really live while we impatiently rushed it?"

"….No, I don't suppose we do. I know that I've been my fair share of impatient. I always wanted my time with my relatives to end so that I could see my friends again. I always wanted to hurry through classes just to spend time with them and have fun. I didn't see the lessons that I missed along the way. I guess that's also partly why I missed seeing that I love Hermione."

"You've got it Harry. With Hermione though, you were just being innocently clueless. After all, if one doesn't understand love, how can one feel it or know that it's there?"

"You're right George. I've missed so much all this time but I won't anymore. Thank you for opening my eyes to this. This is the happiest day of my life. Or it is until I see Hermione again."

"Well done Harry! Oh my, look at how the time has gone by. We've almost reached the front of the line!"

He's right. All this time that we have been talking, we've unconsciously been moving with the line. We reach the front of the line where a big desk has been placed. Sitting at the desk is a middle-aged woman typing away at a computer and occasionally marking something on the various papers in front of her.

"Next!" she says.

"Well, I guess that's me." George says.

"Please state your name so that I may correctly assign you to your appointed fates."

"Yes ma'am, my name is George David Williams III."

"Thank your Mr. Williams III, please go to room 5B at the end of the hall sir. Have a great judging. Next!" she says as if reading from a script.

Turning to me, George says "Well Harry, I believe that this is where we part ways. It has been an honor and a pleasure to meet you and help you along your path as you've helped mine."

"It's been great meeting you George. I wish that we knew each other sooner and that we had more time."

"Well perhaps we will meet again sooner than we think. After all, we have all of eternity to catch up, right Harry?"

With a smile, "Yeah, I suppose that we do George. I hope that you meet your Jenny soon so that you're not alone again for that long."

"Oh I'm never truly alone Harry. She's always been and always will be in my heart and soul. I believe that you will share that sentiment with your Hermione. Give her my regards on what a fine husband she will have in you."

Blushing I say, "Thank you sir. Please do the same with your wife as I'm sure that she knows how great a husband that you are to her."

"Indeed young Harry. Best of luck to you and I hope we meet again soon." he finishes with his hand outstretched.

I shake it and give him a thankful smile. "The same to you George. When we meet again, we should have lunch or something."

"Indeed we shall. Well, I'm off. What was it again? Ah, room 5B. Goodbye Harry."

"Goodbye George." I say waving to him as he walks away.

"Next!"

I forgot all about the lady waiting patiently at the desk for me.

"I'm sorry ma'am. I got all caught up in a conversation."

"It's alright, I understand. Now please state your name so that I may correctly assign you to your fates." she finishes without missing a beat.

"Yes ma'am, my name is Harry James Potter."

"Thank you Mr. Potter. One moment….well, it seems that there's an issue with your fate going through. I'm being told to refer you to room 25A. A representative of the fates will meet you there."

"There's nothing wrong, is there ma'am?" I ask in slight fear.

"Oh there's nothing to be afraid of Mr. Potter. There are just a couple of options available that I'm seeing so it automatically refers you to a sort of counsel here in the Bridge. It's all according to policy so there's no trouble at all."

"Oh, ok then. So this place is called the Bridge? Where do I go to reach 25A?"

"Yes, it's called the Bridge because this is the place in between being a mortal on Earth and the eternal afterlife in either heaven or hell. As to how to get to room 25A, you take a right down that hallway, go up 3 flights of stairs, and it will be the last door on your left." I listen as I follow her directions to my room.

"I see, thank you ma'am. Have a great day."

"You do the same Mr. Potter. Have a great judging. Next!"

I walk away and as I'm walking to up the 3 flights of stairs to room 25A, I begin to wonder what exactly will be awaiting me. Again, time catches up to me as I reach the floor that I'm supposed to arrive on. I open the door to the hallway and remember to take the left as told after I read the sign on the wall.

15A-25E to the left, 26A-35E to the right

A few minutes later I'm reaching the door that reads 25A. There's no office name or anything else on it that I can tell. I can only begin to wonder what I will see and find out inside this room. Taking a moment to breathe, I tell myself that "Gryffindor's charge forward!" and open the door.

**Author's Note:**

Ok and that's chapter 2! I didn't expect to write it this soon. I hope that you are enjoying this story as much as I am. Whenever you like, please be sure to leave any constructive feedback if you have any opinions, suggestions, or If you just want to talk. Hopefully I'll get to chapter 3 tomorrow. As always, I thank each and every one of you for taking the time to read this. The story can only be as good as the people enjoying it are. Until then, have a great day and I hope that you're doing well.


	3. The Weird Afterlife is Weird

I think that I'm starting to drive myself crazy.

I opened the door to 25A, and it's just like any other office that businesses have for a supervisor in charge. It was so anti-climactic that I feel like giving myself a Stinging Hex for worrying in the first place.

When I opened the door, I expected a single room with a desk similar to that of the secretary that sent me here. Instead, I find a room with a couch, a couple of chairs, a water cooler, and even plants. 'Can I even drink water in the afterlife?' To find out, I grab one of the plastic cups provided, pull the tab down above the nozzle, and watch the water pour into the cup. 'I mean, it feels cool, maybe it is possible…'

Sure enough, I take a sip and enjoy a good, refreshing cup of water. I go back for another and I feel it's as if I haven't drunk any for years! Then again, what did George say about time not being the same here as it was when I was alive? A minute there could be days here if I remember correctly. And if that really is the case, then maybe it has been years….

So with a sigh of relief, I grab what must be my fourth or fifth cup of water and decide to sit down in one of the guest chairs provided. The water must have been laced with a Calming Potion or something similar as I'm more relaxed now than I was since before the Battle of Hogwarts. I suppose that it could be even longer than that, now that I think about it.

'When was the last time I felt calm and relaxed like this?' I finish with a yawn. 'There's another thing that I haven't really done in a while: get a good night's sleep.' Deciding that while I wait, I may as well get a good nap in, I move over to the couch. Even though there aren't any pillows in sight, I lay my head on the couch and almost instantly fall asleep. It's so comfortable that it doesn't need it anyway. My last thoughts were of this awesome water, this comfy couch, and of course, Hermione.

I wake up hours later feeling like the Hogwarts Express ran me over. I'm a bit groggy going in and out of sleep a few times. Everything seems fine at first, at least until the lights start to flicker in the room. That sure made me focus on keeping my eyes open. As they do start to focus again, I see a pair of legs that wasn't there before. I go to look up and see who it is but the moment I do that, the light bulb breaks and the light is gone.

"Holy Merlin! What the hell is going on?" I slur in terror as everything goes pitch black again.

"I can assure you Mr. Potter that this isn't hell." A voice says softly.

"What the-Who are you? Where are you?" I call out with a little slur still in my voice. But I would get no answer because as soon as I would have gotten one, a new light bulb is screwed in and I can see again.

In front of me is another middle-aged person, only this time, it's a man. He has a very much disheveled look to him with the features of messy hair, five o'clock shadow, a loose tie around his neck, clothes not properly straightened out, and a body language that would make a lazy person proud. Overall, he looked like your typical dead-to-the-world office worker. Perhaps he didn't get much sleep either.

"There we go. Sorry about that, the light's been flickering lately and I'm only now getting back to the office with the replacement light bulb. I would have been back sooner but do you know how hard it is to find a light bulb in the afterlife? Don't answer that; you wouldn't know since this is only your first time here."

'Is this guy for real? And what does he mean it's only my first time here?'

He scratches his head in response and sighs. "Damn, I'm sorry Harry. We got off on the wrong foot, my name is Larry Jacobs. I'm a Death Coordinator here in the afterlife. I didn't mean to offend you and, again, I apologize for that. I was awakened from my sleep twenty minutes ago by my boss telling me that Harry James Potter arrived here sooner than I expected. In fact, you just missed Hermione by a few hours. I would have delayed her and let you see her so you two could reunite but I had other plans for her. She agreed so I'll tell you about it later."

I jump at the mention of Hermione, "Hermione was here? Is she alright?"

"Yes, yes, she's quite alright. Better even, but again, that's for later." I breathe a sigh of relief at the news that she's doing fine. 'I'm very curious to what she agreed to and what those plans are that he mentioned, but I suppose that I'll just have to wait.'

"Now, naturally, I hurried here to see what we could do to fix this for you. Trust me when I say that I didn't come over here just to change a light bulb or to scare you. Anyway, before we begin, would you like some tea or coffee or do you prefer the water?"

"Umm…I suppose some coffee but where are you going to get the coffee from? There's only a water cooler in here…"I reply confused.

"There's one inside of my office right over there." he points to a door that even has his name and title on it:

_Larry Jacobs, Death Coordinator_

Now I know that I'm going crazy because that door wasn't there earlier before I went to sleep. I tell him as such, "Mr. Jacobs, with all due respect, that door wasn't there before. The light wasn't flickering, and you weren't here. I'm either still sleeping, being pranked by you, or I am just crazy because there is no way that that door was there when I got here."

"Mr. Potter, first of all, you're none of those things. You're actually just dead. Secondly, if I was trying to prank you, wouldn't I have brought a red light bulb and a demon's mask or something to that effect to accomplish that?" he smirks and pulls out his keys to unlock the door to his office.

"I guess that you're right. I may have lost my mind if you did something like that. Perhaps I was just that tired. I did need that good sleep though. I must have gotten around either eight or nine hours. I haven't slept that long or that good since my sixth year at Hogwarts." I sheepishly grin and feel embarrassed for getting frightened in the afterlife. 'I really should get around to giving myself that Stinging Hex….'

"Harry, do you remember when I said that I was awakened about twenty minutes ago?" I give a quick nod.

"Well, it was about 7:40 in the morning when you reached my office. I awoke at roughly 7:42 to the call from my boss and its…" He goes to check his watch. "…8:05 now."

"Excuse me, but how is that possible? I swear it was like an eight or nine hour sleep!"

"Time works differently here Harry. While it felt like hours for you, it only translated to a fifteen to a twenty minute period here in the afterlife."

I can only stand there speechless at that admission. George did mention a huge difference in how time works from the mortal world to the afterlife. I can't help but to get lost in thought for a few minutes as I ponder the possibilities of the time differences.

"Mr. Potter, are you coming, or do you just want to stand there and continue to have no answers about your life?" he calls from inside his office.

"Yes, I'm coming sir!" I call out and hurry to his office as I discard my water cup in a trash bin that also wasn't there before. Like the door, I just chalk it up the lack of sleep for so long.

I enter his office and its better than I would have imagined. It was nice, spacious, well furnished, and it feels inviting. I immediately notice Mr. Jacobs off to the side making the coffee at his countertop in the far right corner of the room. He has a bigger desk than the secretary that I met earlier. There are all sorts of electronics, gadgets, and even the occasional paperwork here and there. Looking around the room further, I notice some more guest chairs, a TV on the wall, another couch, some abstract paintings, a big copy machine, and a living room table.

"You'll have to forgive me. Like I said, I truly didn't expect to see you this soon otherwise I would have gotten better coffee for our first meeting." He quietly chuckles as the coffee percolates. "Please be careful when you go to drink as it may be stronger than what you've had before. We get better cocoa beans here in the afterlife. It leaves you with an instant freshness and kicks you into action. Now, do you like yours with cream and sugar, or black?"

"I suppose black, sir." He nods silently and places two cups at his desk He gestures me to join him, so I leave the doorway to take a seat and take my first sip of the offered coffee.

To say that I've never had coffee like this before would be a huge understatement! When he says that it I would be strong, he didn't mention that it would feel as if the Hungarian Horntail from fourth year was launching fireballs at me!

"Merlin, you could have just told me it would feel like dragon fire and I would have braced myself a lot more!" I exclaim.

He just chuckles and replies "Actually, the name is Larry, even though I could pass as the younger, less powerful and much beardless Merlin. I did warn you that it would be strong, did I not?. That's the first time that it's been compared to dragon's fire though. But you would know about dragons, now wouldn't you Mr. Potter?"

"Yes, well, please warn people better next time you serve them coffee. It is really good and it does the job but Merlin that was over the top!"

"I'll definitely be mentioning from now on that it has a dragon-sized kick to the first sip whenever I have guests here again. And if you keep mentioning Merlin, I may have to give him a call and tell him that his ancestor is worshipping him instead of following in his footsteps."

"Yeah, you do that. Wait, what?" I say in shock realizing what he just said.

"Oh, so now I have your attention. Yes, you are a direct descendant of Merlin. In fact, it's a lot more than him, but I don't want to ruin the surprise for you."

"I don't know what to say! I'm related to Merlin? THE Merlin?"

"Yes, do you know of any other? Or do you praise multiple Merlins but not know one from another?"

"No, just the one…Hey!"

"Ha-ha! I got you to admit that you praise and worship Merlin! Do you do it twice on Sundays? Ha-ha! Oh boy is he going to love to hear this when I see him next time." He chuckles hard as he slaps his desk.

"Ha-ha-ha. That was very funny Mr. Jacobs. My sarcasm is clapping deeply for that. But on a serious note, am I really related to Merlin?"

"Yes, yes Harry. You are a direct descendant of Merlin and heir to the Merlin line through your father's side of the family. But I'm not going to be telling you the rest. You'll have to find that out later depending on your choice here today."

Wow. I'm really related to the greatest wizard of all time. Wait, he mentioned a choice…

"Hold on, what choice are you talking about? Is it about meeting Merlin?"

"No, you couldn't do that even you wanted to. Merlin is busy on vacation with his wife Morgana. I won't see him for another few weeks in afterlife time. In fact, I might not see him until the next time that you come here."

"How would I even come back here? Plus, another thing that is confusing me is when you mentioned earlier that this is only my first time here. How could that be when I know for a fact that I died twice in about a 2-hour period?"

"I'll answer your second question first. When you thought you died the first time, it was actually more like an out-of-body experience during your unconsciousness caused by your magic reflecting the Killing Curse again. I'll spare you the details and just say that it's a bit complicated. An example would be like being given a free, one time only tour of the in-between place in the afterlife. You can't stay there for free as a mortal, but you had circumstances that granted you a look-see. That's why when you saw the afterlife version of King's Cross, the train wasn't there for you, but rather for Dumbledore. We delayed his judgment so that he could play a small role in helping you to see the truth. Albeit it was miniscule in comparison to the actual truth that you'll discover late, it still plays a role in the big picture of what we intend to do going forward. If you're still confused, I'll go a step further and make it more simplified. Even if you wanted to get on the train to join the afterlife, it wouldn't have permitted you access anyway because you weren't dead to begin with." He takes a sip of his own coffee before he continues.

After thinking it all over, it does sound like I didn't really die the first time. "That does make more sense actually. I didn't really trust that Dumbledore was telling the truth for once since all he does is tell lies or avoids the truth entirely. I probably would have realized all of this a lot easier or sooner if I had just studied more like Hermione was always telling me to."

Nodding, he goes on, "Good instincts, but we'll get back to that later. That brings me back to your first question. To answer it, this is exactly why we are meeting today instead of at your ripe old age of 173. You were supposed to vanquish Voldemort, marry Hermione, have a few kids with many grandchildren I might add, and retire at 130 after a two long, successful careers in both Quidditch and as the Minister of Magic. As a representative and a Death Coordinator, I must apologize on behalf of the fates for this grievous error. As it was a mistake on our part, I've been authorized to present two offers to you at this time. All in order to make up for the lost time, the pain, and the misery caused by that error."

'I would have married Hermione, had a big family, and made a difference while having fun in my life? Damn. That would have been the life I wanted. Too bad it's gone now.' I feel like cursing the fates for this situation I'm in.

"But Mr. Jacobs, isn't the next step to be judged and move on to either heaven or hell?" I say utterly confused.

"Well, yes, normally that would be the case. However, that all depends on if you want to go forward with your judgment or if you would want to return to life. Those are your options." he answers as casually takes another sip of his coffee.

'Did he just…offer me a chance to live again? Am I going crazy again?'

"Did I hear you just ask me if I want to live again?"

"Ah, that's good coffee. Yes, you heard right Harry. But I can't make the choice for you. I can only help you decide which one is best for you. Both offers are tempting. One option is that you be judged and go to heaven for being selfless and making the ultimate sacrifice. Doing so would reunite you with Hermione, your parents, and the rest of your various family and friends that have moved on. You could live out in peace for all of eternity and I would absolutely understand if you went that route. However, there is another route to take-"

"I want to be with Hermione and my parents, sir; more than anything that you could ever offer me."

"I understand that Harry, I really do. But before I allow you to finalize that, I'm going to tell you of the other option simply because you deserve to make the best decision available. Haven't you always wanted a say in the matter of your life? To have choices only decided by you with no one to interfere in them?"

He's right. That's always what I've wanted. Dumbledore wouldn't give me that option on the basis that I was too young to understand or how he wanted to preserve my childhood that never really existed. And Voldemort certainly never gave me a choice in the matter outside of joining him. I should hear what he has to say and be patient. Hermione did tell me many times that I rush into things without thinking properly ahead of time.

"Ok, go ahead, but I can't live without Hermione in my life. I don't want to go back only to have to go a hundred years until I see her again. I couldn't do that. I won't do that. Especially now that I know of my feelings for her isn't that of a normal best friend. She's my life now and I couldn't imagine existing without her in it." I say softly with tears in my eyes.

With a soft smile, he replies "Harry, that's exactly why I feel this offer is better than joining with them now. In this offer, you not only get to live again, but I'll be sending you backwards in the past. I'm granting you a chance to not only have more time with her, but to also save the lives of everyone that both Dumbledore and Voldemort either ruined or took from the world unjustly. The only difference here is that you'll be delayed in seeing your parents and everyone else by another 100+ years; give or take a few dozen."

A quiet sob gets caught in my throat as I don't know what to do. How do you choose between the two?

"I can also tell you a hint or two Harry that may make your choice easier. Hermione made hers rather quickly. She felt that it was the right decision. What do you think she chose?"

"I-I'm not sure what path she would have taken…"

"Focus on the hints, Harry! Use that brain of yours. I know that you're not stupid; far from it even despite your study habits. She warned me that you were dense, but wow!" Larry throws his hands up in the air.

A chuckle breaks through my sniffles, "She said that I'm dense, huh?...Well, she is right almost all the time and she is right again. Let me listen and use my head here…"

'What would Hermione do? Would she have gone on ahead or would she have went back?' I wonder quietly to myself.

"Harry, you know Hermione better than I ever will and that's saying something. Take into consideration everything that you've been through together. All of the lessons that you've learned from her, everything that she ever told or showed you; just focus on the history between you two and who she is at heart."

"I guess if I look at it like that, the answer is simple really. With that big heart of hers, she would have chosen only one thing. She went back. She chose to save everyone and make things better. Not just for me or for her, but also for everyone else. Once she sets her mind on something, she attacks it until she reaches her goal." I say with finality.

Smiling, "Yes Harry, she went back just before you got here. She is a lovely young woman and you're lucky to have someone like that in your life. I believe that her words exactly were, "It's a no-brainer to go back. Harry has a people-saving thing and would want to save everyone, so maybe I could help make things better for him in the process." Part of those plans that I mentioned earlier are that she would do some research and work towards a better future. When I mentioned this, she quickly agreed to go back. As you said, once she has a target in mind, she doesn't wait to attain it. She even had a fiery look of determination in her eyes. She was right giddy about it all."

I couldn't help but grin and nod at that. That's definitely Hermione alright. She is always putting others before herself. Especially if there's a promise of more reading and studying to do. I know how much she missed her books while we were hunting down the horcruxes this past year.

"You see, she could have moved on and you would have followed her there, but she chose what is right, not what is easy. That's the basis of every choice that we make in life. We could do what is easy every single time, but why is it that we make the hard choices most or all of the time? The answer is simple: because the end result is always better when we do our very best. I can tell you for a fact that it's worth more in the end." I nod my understanding to the wise man.

"Take your struggle with Voldemort, for example. You could have tucked your tail in between your legs and ran out of fear. You could have said screw the magical world. After all, they made the problem; they certainly could solve it, right? All they ever do is either worship you as the Boy-Who-Lived or they want to slander you in the press. But what did you do? What choice did you make?"

"I stayed to fight. I didn't run away."

"Why is that Harry? Why didn't you do the easy thing? In a lot of ways, no one would have a reason blame you for it."

"I fought him because it wouldn't make a difference in the world if I ran away or went into hiding like a coward. I would be just like Pettigrew. My future would consist of living constantly in fear of my parent's murderer or being arrogant enough to leave a mass murderer to kill my friends and everyone else who is innocent. They don't deserve that. I didn't deserve that."

Larry nods "Doing so would take away all that's good in the world. That's why we do what's right Harry. While the saying is that at the end of the day, the pawn and king go into the same box, they don't necessarily agree on the same morals. A lot of times, the king will only think of his country and his power but not the people within it. The pawn usually thinks nothing of his or her wellbeing and puts everyone at the forefront of the mind."

I still can't help but nod at the wisdom being told here. He's absolutely right. I know what I need to do.

"Even if it's obvious at this point, I still need an answer Harry."

With a deep breath, "Mr. Jacobs, I-"

"Call me Larry." he interrupts.

"Ok then, Larry. I've made my decision. I'll go back but I need details before I go back. I want to be prepared to change things for the better like Hermione I owe it to those that I've lost and to those I wasn't the best of friend to. They deserve a better Harry and that's what they'll get."

"That's wonderful, Harry. I wouldn't expect anything less of you. As for details, I'm afraid that I can only provide a limited amount of them before I spoil things for you and your new future. I'd tell you my plan, but Hermione said that she would tell you when there's enough time. But don't worry, I won't let you leave without the tools necessary to succeed, however."

"That's fine, what I can't figure out by myself, I'm sure that Hermione and I can together. Even more so now that she's already had enough time to get a head start on it. I'm positive that when I see her again, she'll have this big list of things for me to read and do."

Larry grins happily "Atta boy Harry! I promise you that these details will be more than enough to go on and make a difference. You've made the right decision and I couldn't be prouder of you. Now, for starters, I will allow you to keep your memories of everything from the past, including your time here in the afterlife. But you must swear to not reveal the details of the afterlife to anyone outside of Hermione. I'm fine if you tell a few trusted people about your time traveling, but only to a few trusted people. I don't think that I need to remind you of what could happen if the wrong sort of people learned that there were two time travelers among them. I know that a reminder of what Dumbledore is capable of is not needed here."

"No, you don't. I know enough about Dumbledore that he can't be trusted to buy socks, much less be in a room alone with him."

"It's even worse than that and you deserve to know more, Harry. But again, it's your choice. Do you want to know?"

"If I'm going to be prepared Larry, I need to know all that you can tell me. Did you already tell Hermione what he's done?"

"Yes I have. It was part of the agreement that she and I made. Very well, this will be difficult to hear, but you deserve to know. I promise you that I am telling the truth. We can't really lie here anyway. I'll get the worst out of the way and tell you some of Dumbledore's worst crimes. Only the ones that are necessary about you will be told today as you'll learn the rest sometime soon once you're back in the past." I nod for him to continue; bracing myself for the bad news.

"I'm sure that you're aware of your friend Ronald's attitude and jealousy issues. Well, that was a big sign as he is only one of your friends from your previous timeline that has betrayed you."

Enraged, I stand up for Ron believing it to be a mistake. "There's no way it could be Ron! He's my other best friend and even though he's been a git at times, he's always been there!"

"While I admire that you wish to defend your best friend, please allow me to finish. I assure you that what I say is the truth. I have no reason to mislead you and every reason to help you. It is my job, after all."

A part of me wants to ignore him, but a bigger part inside of me says that I should be patient and just listen. 'Hermione believed Larry, right? It's tough, yet if she believed him, I'll have to trust that his word is the truth.'

"I apologize for interrupting you. I just can't believe that he would do something like that. He was my first friend, you know? I'll trust what you say is true, but this is already hard to accept." I say deflated and resigned.

"An apology is not necessary here as you were doing what is feels right. I don't want you to change that at all. If anything, I encourage it and recommend that you be careful as you go about it. There are always people who will try to take advantage of your kindness and not all of them will be good."

"As I said, this news will get worse as I tell it, but you must not get too caught up in the emotional whirlwind. Even if it becomes unbearable, just absorb the information and I'll return to it a bit later on."

"Now, to continue, the betrayal stays in the family as Ron's little sister Ginny is involved. Of the two, Ginny is more innocent mostly because she was raised on Harry Potter fairytales. She was manipulated far longer than Ron ever needed to be. Ron, being the comparison here, constantly is being reminded of his older brother's success or Ginny being the first Weasley girl born in generations and it got to him over time. He became greedy, demanding, aggressive, arrogant, lazy, and mostly incompetent. Take your first year at Hogwarts for example. He insulted Hermione to the point that she almost got killed. You had to drag Ron with you to have help in rescuing her."

"Ginny, however, is different in that she has been brainwashed to be your standard puppet. Ron didn't need to be brainwashed as he already fit the mold. Ginny from day one was being trained to take over the Potter fortune and name as your Mrs. Potter. She can do the one thing that Ron can't: bear your children. Her crime really is just being born, bred, and manipulated with one the goal of becoming your wife and mother of your kids. One could argue that she should have still seen through that as she grew older and wiser, but Dumbledore and her mother saw to that too."

"Most of the time, it wasn't really their choice in the matter anyway. They were being dosed with loyalty and minor love potions by their mother Molly and Dumbledore. Ginny was given a minor love potion that was keyed to you just in case she started to fancy other boys. You'll notice that in your fifth year, Ginny started to date other boys. That's because Molly slipped up and believed that she had done enough to steer her in the right direction to getting the two of you together. When she realized that it wasn't working later that year, she immediately got her back on it by sending her some homemade food laced with the love potion. By the end of the year, you were snogging Ginny and the plan was back on track once more but only for a short period of time."

"That's because you, Ron, and Hermione went hunting for the horcruxes. The plan failed when she couldn't administer the potions since none of you were around or couldn't be found. That's why you grew distant with Ron one final time while bringing you and Hermione closer than ever. It was really the closest that you were since Hermione was petrified in your second year."

"To explain, Ron was constantly fed loyalty potions keyed to you since his personality would only push you away. He only was a better person thanks to the potions sadly. When a budding relationship between you and Hermione was inevitable, that's when Dumbledore and Molly had to ensure that didn't happen. It would ruin their plans to control you. So, to fix that, minor doses of love potions keyed from Hermione to Ron and vice versa were made. Loyalty potions were also given to you to help you stay loyal to Dumbledore even when he would bluntly shove his Greater Good down your throat."

"All of that was done mostly just to get your money, the power that your name brings, and your children. The rest of the Weasleys are unaware that this is going on behind their backs and are therefore innocent. That's the end of the Weasley guilt but I'm only scratching the surface of Dumbledore's guilt."

"There's light in this darkness though. You can change that by saving Ron and Ginny from their horrible fate by opening their eyes to the truth. By doing so, you will lessen the hold that Dumbledore has over not just you, but an entire family. How you do that is up to both of you as you will need each other to decide on a proper course of action. Make no mistake about it: Molly is likely too far gone thanks to Dumbledore to change, but always remember that nothing is impossible. I'm not saying that you will be able to change her ways or what she's done, but if there's even a chance that she could redeem herself, take it."

"Dumbledore has done more, I'm afraid. He has stolen a lot of your family's money, but aside from that, trying to make you marry Ginny via minor love potions, and the same with Hermione to Ronald, he's done much worse. From the moment that he heard the prophecy that you and Neville Longbottom were available for, he set out to take out both of your families. Peter Pettigrew is a cowardly and evil man in his own right, but he wouldn't have become the Secret Keeper if it wasn't for Dumbledore convincing your parents that Peter was the right choice for their safety. Yes, Sirius would have been the obvious choice for it and would have died before betraying your parents, but it would have been harmful to the Greater Good. Remus in a lot of ways would have been a better choice as he is a werewolf and a trusted friend. For one, being a werewolf naturally enhances the strength of the Mind Arts. Add that to his undying love for his friends and you have the makings of an unbreakable fortress." He pauses for another sip of his coffee while mine has been untouched since the conversation turned serious.

Continuing, "Where was I? Ah yes, the Longbottom debacle. Unlike with said Potters, he didn't need someone like Peter for the Longbottoms." He was able to convince, with great difficulty I might add, the original Longbottom Secret Keeper Augusta Longbottom, Neville's grandmother, by offering to become the new one thereby granting them a stronger protection in theory. Voldemort wouldn't expect him to be hiding them. If Dumbledore's intentions were just, and Voldemort somehow found out that Dumbledore was personally protecting the Longbottoms, he would have marked Neville as the Boy-Who-Lived. You would have still lived a similar life, but you may not have the friends that you do now outside of Hermione. Alas, Dumbledore was anything but just in his intentions. He was quite the opposite."

"Normally, he wouldn't get his hands dirty in this as it's not his style but he had no choice in the matter; he couldn't trust Augusta because she was against His Greater Good. She would always oppose him and be a thorn in his side when dealing with the Wizengamot. If he proposed, helped to propose, or favored a new law, she would do her best to help strike it down because deep down, she knows what type of man he is. She knows that he prefers to do his evil work from the shadows through manipulations and by using his influence to get his way. No one expects the greatest wizard of the Light since Merlin to be evil."

"Dumbledore walked further down the path to becoming the most cunning and powerful Dark Lord of all time by facilitating the near murders of both Frank and Alice Longbottom, Neville's parents as you know. No one knew that Dumbledore gave an anonymous tip to the Death Eaters of where the Longbottoms were in hiding. All the public knew was that the Longbottoms were tortured into insanity by Bellatrix Lestrange. He didn't trust his new pet Snape to deliver the message without question, so he casually used his phoenix Fawkes to plant the whereabouts to Bellatrix's room when she wasn't around. All she had to do was return to her room later on, discover the note, assume one of her fellow Death Eaters was looking out for her, deliver it to Voldemort, and be rewarded with a follow-up mission to kill the Longbottoms."

"Ironically, Snape ended up finding out about it anyway while in an Inner Circle meeting with Voldemort. He was able to send out his own anonymous tip to the Aurors after being dismissed so Voldemort could go attack the Potters. He knew Alice a little through Lily and so long as everything went by the book, Lily would still be alive and she would at least have a girlfriend to talk to whenever she wasn't talking to him. In his own twisted mind at that stage of his life, he figured that he would comfort her, become friends with her again, and she would fall for him. All the while not knowing that he was part of the reason why her family and best friend's family is dead."

"As sad as this all is, there's still more to him. You figured it out earlier before you came here, but in case you haven't discovered the reason why, I'll clue you in. Molly is innocent of this plan as she wasn't privy to it. She thought that she was getting a son-in-law and everything mentioned before. This is what I like to say call a clear case of "Dumbledore Clearance" needed and only he is authorized to know it. He was planning all of these betrayals at the same time that he was also planning your death to Voldemort. Would he have been alive for the battle, he may have killed Voldemort and you in one fell swoop once there was a Potter heir conceived. He felt that, even if by some miracle you survived the battle, you were still going to die. He couldn't stand the thought of sharing the glory with an inexperienced teenager such as you. You're not his equal or even Voldemort's equal in his mind; you're just another pawn on his big board of life. But as he died before that part of his plan could take place, it only matters that you know of it and that you can prevent it from ever having the chance to happen this time around."

"Those were just some of the more evil deeds done by Dumbledore. It almost never ends with this quiet tyrant. I'd tell you even more, but as I've said, you'll know the rest soon enough. Plus, I've got to be moving you along to your trip backwards in time. I've got another client coming in an hour so I'd better hurry this up. But first, what are your thoughts Harry? I know that must be a lot to take in."

All this time that I've been quietly listening, I've been shaking in anger. "I'm furious Larry. If I knew how to use my magic here, I would have probably wrecked your office a long time ago. But in that anger, there's hope that I can at least change things this time. I'm upset that Ron and Ginny were part of some plan concocted just for some Galleons and power that I only would have because my parents are dead. I would have given it all away in order to have them be able to live my life knowing my parents and knowing that their proud of me. Hell, I would have given them some money if they just asked. I don't spend much of my money anyway."

"What upsets me more though is that Dumbledore is responsible for Neville not having his parents in his life either. He set up so much to control, steal, or kill me or those around me that I'm beyond words. And he even tried to mess with Hermione and I's lives to the point of separating us. I won't stand for this!" I pound my fists on the desk with rage, leaving a slight dent in its wake.

"I'm glad that you want to do something about it, but you need to calm down, relax, and always focus on the goal at hand. Harry, I want to see him get served the justice that he so rightly deserves too, but I want you to go about it the right way. Remove his control and power and he'll have next to nothing left that's valuable to him anymore. Do yourself a favor and think of Hermione whenever you feel like you'll lose control. I'd recommend not even killing the old fool, just so he can rot in prison for the rest of his days before he comes here to get his judgment, but I'm leaving that choice to you and Hermione. I'm positive that he'll get what he deserves between you two. I look forward to chatting with you again in the future about it."

"There's so much to do Larry and I'm not sure how we'll accomplish half of it at this point. I've got to stop two Dark Lords, save lives, figure out where Hermione and I go from here, and probably a hundred or so other things that I have no clue of yet."

"Well, that's where the fun of it all comes in. You and Hermione will figure it all out as you go back to school again."

"Oh, well that's nice. You might as well throw the Dursleys in too at this rate…"

"You must be reading my mind Harry because that's exactly what I'm doing."

"Are you serious?" I look at him as if he has grown two heads.

"No Harry, I'm Larry." He says with a toothy grin.

'Did he just pull Sirius' old name trick over on me?'

"Harry, in all seriousness, no pun intended this time, I have a good reason for choosing this time for you. It was Hermione who suggested it really. By doing it this way, you can accomplish everything that you need and more. You'll have plenty of time anyway. So I'm sending you to the same place that I sent Hermione: 3 weeks before your first year at Hogwarts."

"At least I'll have Hermione to talk this over with. I'd go crazy otherwise." I almost mutter to myself.

"That you do. Now, I have about 5 minutes left and I need to go over some policy real quick. I've told Hermione all of this and it is a requirement as by the fates so there's no choice in the matter." I nod a quick agreement wondering what could be needed.

"Very well then, please read this and if you agree, just follow the instructions at the bottom." He opens one of the drawers in his desk and opens a file with one sheet of parchment in it. Handing it to me, it reads:

_"On behalf of the fates, we do hereby agree to send one Harry James Potter back to 3 weeks before his first school year at Hogwarts at the age of 11 in order to right the mistake made in Mr. Potter's destiny. However, in doing so, Mr. Potter __**MUST **__agree to the following requirements or he will be subject to forfeiture of this opportunity:_

_To not pass on knowledge of the afterlife to other mortals that does not already have knowledge of said afterlife._

_To not knowingly attempt to return to the realm of the afterlife without successfully fulfilling the primary goals at hand which include but are not limited to the removal of one Thomas Marvolo Riddle and the removal of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore from power. Killing of said persons may not occur unless justified. To do so would be to violate the agreed upon terms._

_To promote peace, good will, and unity in the world that would benefit all walks of life._

_Upon arrival at Gringotts, London branch, Mr. Potter must request an audience with the Goblin King Ragnok and take an inheritance test, a soul cleansing ritual, a physical exam, and an audit on both the Potter Trust Vault and the Family Vault._

_In order to show good faith, we the fates grant the following as resources or gifts after conferring with one Death Coordinator Larry Jacob. Please use them wisely as you see fit. The misuse or abuse of these resources shall be deemed a violation of agreement:_

_The current magical core for Mr. Potter is to be combined with that of the core of his 11 year old past self. _

_Upon request by Death Coordinator Larry Jacobs, we agree to bequeath 20 million Galleons upon completed of justice served to one Lord Voldemort. In addition, we have decided to match and increase the reward for justice served to one Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore and hereby place it at 80 million Galleons. _

_Inside of the Potter Family Vault, we agree to place a Vault Key in Harry James Potter's namesake that grants access to a Vault worthy of a Friend Of The Fates. Its contents shall remain as our surprise gift to Mr. Potter. Please note that Vault Key will not appear in Potter Family Vault until Christmas of the first school year at Hogwarts._

_Upon return to past, we agree to allow Mr. Potter to retain his memory of the past timeline and during his stay in the afterlife._

_If the above terms and allowances are accepted, please raise your wand arm and speak in a loud, clear voice and say the following:_

**_I, Harry James Potter, do swear on my life and magic my agreement to the terms and allowances stated above provided by the fates. So mote it be._**

'Okay, here we go.'

"I, Harry James Potter, do swear on my life and magic my agreement to the terms and allowances stated above provided by the fates. So mote it be."

As soon as I finish, my magic flares up and a yellow light emanates from my wand arm. As my magic recognizes my oath and the truth behind it, it turns green and flows back into my chest.

"Well Harry, I only have a few things left to say to you before you leave so listen closely."

"When you get back, you will need to give your magic 24 hours to adjust to the combination of cores. If you have to use magic, use it only in emergency. Also, be aware that you will be in the body of your 11-year old self. Don't go trying to punch walls or so just yet until you build your strength and stamina up. Use the 3 weeks before your return to Hogwarts wisely. Eat a healthy amount of food, go see the Goblins, go see Hermione, make peace with life, but most importantly, have fun. You have an infinite amount of possibilities so don't limit yourself or say that you can't because it's all possible."

"When you go back, don't go back with negative emotions. It's a fresh, clean start for both you and Hermione. Don't let the things that can't be controlled get the best of you. Breathe and relax more. It's ok to step back and survey the situation at hand before taking action. Don't rush head fists first without getting the ok from your brain. I don't think that I need to tell you to take care of and respect Hermione."

"Finally, I personally want you to live, laugh, love, and light up the life and the world around you."

Smiling, I happily reply, "Thank you very much for all of the help, information, and advice Larry. I can't thank you or the fates enough for this opportunity that you've granted Hermione and I with. I promise that we will do our best and we will succeed this time. You can count on it!" I stand and give him the thumbs up.

"You're very welcome Harry. It's been a pleasure helping you get life back on track. Get it right this time and I'll see you when it's truly time for our next meeting." He stands as well and offers his hand.

As I shake his hand, I feel a sharp stinging sensation in my palm.

"Ouch! Larry, what is going on? Why did you hit me with what feels like a Stinging Hex?"

"Well you did want one, didn't you? I don't want you to think that you're not crazy after all." he says wearing that toothy grin again.

I draw him in close and whisper quietly "Be very careful Jacobs. I am the son and honorable nephew of the Marauders and I am not afraid to start a prank war and involve the whole afterlife in it."

He returns the whisper with his own "Well that's okay Harry. I'll have plenty of time to prepare myself. When you get back here, don't be surprised if the fates themselves join in on the prank war."

I look on in disbelief "Do you even have the power to pull that off?"

"No, but I am willing to try."

We laugh it off and give each other a more serious handshake and as I turn to leave his office, he stops me for a moment.

"Larry, could you pass on a message to a few people here in the afterlife? I just want my parents to know that I love them and think of them every day. I'll see them again, but not now. Oh, and could you tell a George David Williams III that I hope he found his wife well and that they have a great time?

"Sure thing Harry and before I forget, stop by at the front desk and let Catherine know that you're leaving. She'll point you to the exit."

"Ok, thanks Larry. Be safe." I smile one last time before leaving his office.

I make my way back downstairs to the big lobby where the crowd has thinned a little and spot Catherine at her desk speaking to another person from the hallway.

I walk up and as I wait for her to finish with the guest, I begin to wonder how it will feel to time travel almost 8 years into the past. Before I can get far into that thought, I'm spoken to by Catherine.

"Mr. Potter, welcome back to the lobby. Are you ready to return to the past?"

"Wow. Word must travel quick in this place. Yes ma'am, I am ready. I was told to ask you to point me to the exit."

"Great, it's actually the same door you came from earlier. Just close it behind you and the room will do the rest. You'll feel a slight pulling sensation and a sense of falling, but don't worry, you're perfectly fine."

"Oh ok. Thank you very much ma'am. Best of luck with the afterlife." I wave goodbye and she just smiles at me before shouting out "Next!"

Just like when I went to Larry's office upstairs, it took a few minutes to reach the door. When I was talking to George, I didn't realize that the walk from the door to the desk was this lengthy.

When I entered the afterlife, I was scared that I wouldn't find Hermione. Now, I want to almost run to meet her again as an 11-year old. It's going to be funny being that young again but boy will it be worth it.

I opened the and as I close it, I yell out "Bring me home to Hermione!"

Once more, total darkness consumes me and I know no more.

_Author's Note:_

Hello again everybody. Sorry for the long wait. I just kept writing and writing and suddenly I'm 2 days late! Anyway, I hope that you like it and that it's not too long. As always, I am open to suggestions on how to make this story better. Especially any constructive criticism is welcome. If there are any problems with this chapter, let me know so I fix it. To those reviewers that I haven't replied to yet, I will reply soon. I've just been hard at work on this chapter.

***Update***Allow me to be clear on this: There will be no mercy for those like Voldemort and Dumbledore and the various others like Snape. And there will be absolute justice for those who have wronged the innocents. He will not, however, just kill because he can. I'll give you a couple of scenarios: Harry's walking to Gringotts for the first time since his return to the past. He reaches Gringotts and as he walks inside the bank, he sees a Death Eater from the previous timeline in Walden Macnair. Harry walks over to him, draws his wand, screams bloody murder, and fires off a close range Reducto to the head of Macnair. Or imagine him being friends with the Goblins, secretly bringing said Goblins into the full Wizengamot, takes his place as the head of the Potters, cry Blood Fued and have disillusioned Goblins slaughter all known Death Eaters listed by the bank. He's not going to do either of the two or anything like that. No. The revenge and justice will sometimes be more merciless and cruel, but it will all be justified. Whether they are humiliated, surrender, or etc., the justice will be the same.

Thanks again for your time, reviews, for the favorites, story alerts, and follows. I have had more success with this story than my previous one ever did and it's only been a week almost. Anyway, I'm off to get a plan together for chapter 4 and see how yall like this one.

Have a great day everyone and I hope that you're doing well.


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